


Bumi's Wolf Tail

by azablue



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra, Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Bumi II cant do a wolf tail, Bumi II deserves a warriors wolf tail, Bumi II joining United Forces, Bumi II/Good Parenting, Gen, Katara can, Katara loves her son, Mentioned Aang (Avatar), Mentioned Sokka (Avatar), Mother-Son Relationship, Parent Katara (Avatar), Southern Water Tribe, United Forces (Avatar), Warrior's Wolf Tail, Water Tribe Custom, Water Tribe(s) (Avatar)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-18
Updated: 2020-07-18
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:15:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,569
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25356811
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/azablue/pseuds/azablue
Summary: Bumi had been sitting in front of a large mirror he’d taken from the hallway for almost an hour trying to fix his hair into a “wolf tail,” a hairstyle worn to mark a warrior in the Southern Water Tribe. Tomorrow he would be leaving Air Temple Island to become a member of the United Forces, something Bumi had been dreaming about since he was a child.Katara was standing at the door calmly, Bumi was not sure how long she had been watching him. “Can I help you?”OR Bumi II and Katara have a heart to heart while she fixes his hair into a warrior's wolf tail, the Souther Water Tribe's mark of the warrior and Sokka's signature look, the night before he leaves for the United Forces
Relationships: Aang & Bumi II, Aang/Katara (Avatar), Bumi II & Katara, Bumi II & Sokka (Avatar)
Comments: 15
Kudos: 86





	Bumi's Wolf Tail

“Why can’t I get it?” Bumi muttered to himself, huffing a breath of frustration as his hair slipped out of its tie. He had been sitting in front of a large mirror he’d taken from the hallway for almost an hour trying to fix his hair into a “wolf tail,” a hairstyle worn to mark a warrior in the Southern Water Tribe. Tomorrow he would be leaving Air Temple Island to become a member of the United Forces, something Bumi had been dreaming about since he was a child. To mark the occasion he wanted to honor his Water Tribe heritage, as well has his uncle, Sokka, who wore the hairstyle religiously. His uncle had not only trained him, but been a constant support throughout the process. Sokka had even been present when Bumi announced the idea to his parents, which was something that had not been easy. But even after watching his uncle do the same hairstyle countless times, Bumi still could not replicate it. He was about to give up when he heard a soft knock at the door. 

“You know if you want the hair to stay in its tie, you’ll need to brush it back first,” Katara was standing at the door calmly, Bumi was not sure how long she had been watching him. He groaned as his hair fell out of yet another attempt to keep it in place. 

“Can’t I just take off the sides first?” He asked, “I feel like that would be easier.” The young man started to reach for the razor before him but just before he could start to shave his mother spoke up.

“Sokka tried that once,” she said moving closer to her son, “he ended up cutting off way too much hair, he ended up with less of a wolf’s tail and more of a rat monkey’s tail.” She chuckled fondly at the memory before bringing her attention back to Bumi. “Can I help you?” 

At first Bumi was surprised by her offer. Upon telling his parents of his plans, Bumi had anticipated uneasiness from his pacifist father, but it was a shock that his mother was, of the two, the least supportive. Aang, while he did not want his son contributing to violence, understood that it was his way of keeping the world safe. Earlier that night he had pulled his son aside and exclaimed once again how proud he was of him. His mother, however, was still having trouble wrapping her head around the idea. After processing her words he nodded and handed her his comb, scissors, and razor. She sat on his bed and motioned for him to sit on the floor in front of her. 

“I’ve been trying all night mom,” Bumi groaned, wincing as his mother brushed through a tangle, “but I just can’t seem to get it right.” 

Katara looked at her son’s reflection in the mirror, “you’ll get it in time, no tribesmen does their first wolf tail.”

“Who did Sokka’s?” Bumi asked, realizing he had never actually learned the origin of his uncle’s signature look. Katara thought for a moment.

“Our mother actually,” Katara responded. “Of course Sokka’s first wolf tail wasn’t exactly planned.”

“What do you mean?”

“It was his seventh birthday,” Katara said as she started to fasten the middle section of Bumi’s hair into a small pony tail.”Your grandma had left our house for what couldn't have been more than ten minutes and Sokka decided it would be a good idea to give himself a haircut using one of our dad’s machetes.” Katara chuckled at the memory, “of course I tried to stop him, but he insisted that now he was old enough now to bear the mark of a warrior.” 

“Wait,” Bumi laughed, “he tried to cut his hair with a machete? Like a machete machete? Was he okay?” 

“Oh he was fine,” Katara responded, with the pony tail done she picked up the scissors and started cutting away at the sides of his head. “Although he had cut the sides of his hair so poorly, by the time our mom came back she had no choice but to shave the sides and give him a wolf tail.” 

“When did he start doing them himself?” Bumi asked the question almost absentmindedly, not thinking of its implications. Katara sighed, the lighthearted expression on her face was replaced with something tired.

“When he was thirteen. He started doing it on his own after our father left to fight in the war.”

“Right” thought Bumi, kicking himself for asking, he had grown up hearing the stories of his mother and uncle’s childhood, but for some reason the dots hadn’t connected in his head. He had been so lost in thought he was almost startled when his mother spoke again.

“Sokka is an exception though, the custom was that warriors wouldn’t do this themselves until after their first battle.” They sat in a more comfortable silence as Katara moved on to the other side of his head, first snipping his hair down to the scalp before switching to the razor to gently shave the remaining hair off in neat motions.

“Where did you learn?” 

Katara seemed almost surprised by the question, she had to think for a moment before responding. “From your uncle actually,” she laughed, “he taught me once when he had injured his hand and couldn’t do it by himself. I used help him a lot when we were kids whenever he got hurt or sick, but I haven’t done it in a long time,” Katara smiled wistfully. 

As his mother went back to her work, Bumi returned to starting at himself in the mirror he had propped up on the leg of his desk chair. Here he was, almost eighteen and joining the army, but he still needed his mom to do his hair. There was a moment of panic that rushed through him from this realization. Bumi felt himself consumed with doubt over his decision to join the Untied Forces. Was he ready? Had he trained enough? Could he do this? 

His mother seemed to have noticed his sudden bout of worry because she set down the razor and moved off of the bed to sit down next to him. Katara placed her hands firmly on her sons shoulders and turned them gently towards her. “Bumi,” she said softly, “I’m sorry that I haven’t been supporting you on this like I should have been. I let my own fears stop me from doing what’s important, which is letting you know how in awe I am of you.” She looked at her son with unwavering love and intensity. “You have worked so hard for this. You are determined, creative, and so, so smart.”

Bumi was taken aback by his mother’s words. Just weeks ago they had been in a heated argument over this very topic, and while they had mainly stopped arguing, he was not expecting vocal support from her. Before he could respond his mother wrapped him in a tight, loving hug. Despite the fact that he was, now, a bit bigger and taller than her, he felt completely encompassed by his mother’s embrace. “I love you Bumi,” Katara said, muffled by her son’s shoulder. 

“I love you too mom,” Bumi responded, still surprised by his mother’s newfound support. As they pulled back from the embrace Katara wiped a tear from her eye and smiled at him sweetly.

“Now,” Katara said, moving to pick up the razor, “let’s finish your wolf tail so you can get a good nights rest before your trip.” Despite her concern, Katara seemed to take her time finishing the rest her task; she moved the blade upwards from the back of the neck towards the wolf tail in slow, gentle motions, soaking up all the time she could with her son.  
“To be honest now that I think about it,” Katara said, smiling as she ran her fingers over her sons head, checking for mistakes, “it was inevitable that at least one of my children take the path you’re on.” Feeling satisfied with her work Katara placed her hands on her sons shoulders, staring at him in the mirror. “You come from a long line of Water Tribe warriors, and an even longer line of peace-seeking nomads. The United Forces is the perfect balance of the two: a force created to protect the peace.” Bumi put his hand over the one resting on his shoulders and squeezed it firmly. 

“It’s funny,” Bumi said, “I’d never thought about it like that.” Which was true, he hadn’t. Despite it being his dream and even with his father’s blessing, to Bumi joining the United Forces felt like he was going against his nomadic roots. He wouldn't think that anymore. Katara squeezed his hand back in affirmation.

“And you’re foraging your path in your own special way,” she added, kissing the top of his head, “just as you always have. Your namesake would be proud.”

“Thanks mom,” Bumi said moving closer to the mirror to get a closer look at his hair. After examining her work he turned back to face her once again, “for everything.” Katara smiled back at him and stood to leave. As she reached the door frame she looked back at Bumi, her now grown son, her warrior, who was carving his own destiny.

“For you my dear, anything.”

**Author's Note:**

> hey! I have had this idea in my head for a while now and I am so happy to have finally written it. This is my first piece of fan fiction ever so I hope you enjoyed :)


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